Path to Heal
by Angel's Angel
Summary: Sequel to Caged Bird. Kumiko finally relaxing after coming back home, what awaits her now? ON HIATUS!


**I do not own Prince of Tennis!**

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* * *

Path to Heal**_

_**Prince of Tennis/Tenipuri story**_

"Echizen-kun…?"

"Kumiko-san?"

* * *

"You know her, Ochibi?!" Eiji gasped. Kumiko then pulled her hand away from Tezuka's grip and walked towards Ryoma, inspecting him carefully.

"Echizen… kun?" Ryoma then nodded and Kumiko broke out a big smile on her face before she laughed and hugged him, surprising everyone.

"It's been so long! How are you?" Kumiko said after she had let go of Ryoma.

"Fine. Normal." Kumiko giggles and clapped her hand.

"So you're going to school here now? What happened? I've never heard from you again since then, I was getting lonely." Both of them didn't notice the stares and knowing smiles they got, especially the glare from the captain.

"Yes, I'm going to Seigaku, old man's order, this is his old school. I lost your number."

"Ah, so that's the problem." Kumiko laughed, surprising everyone once again when Echizen let out a small genuine smile.

"Are you going here too, Kumiko-san?"

"Well, you know that I've been home-schooled. So I'm a little advanced, so you can say I'm more superior than you." Kumiko said proudly at the twitching Echizen in front of her.

"So?"

"Well, I guess I'll be coming here, but I'm not sure… I was thinking about going to a different school, but I'm still taking few days off."

"I see." Kumiko then took out her phone.

"So, mind telling me your number? I lost it too when I changed phones." Kumiko said sheepishly as Ryoma shook his head and sighed before he took Kumiko's phone. Everyone then gaped when Ryoma started dialling his number and placed the phone back in Kumiko's hand.

"Thanks again, Echizen-kun. I'll give you a message afterwards." Ryoma then nodded and Kumiko walked back to Tezuka, took his hand and dragged him out from school. Ryoma then shrugged and turned around before he saw people staring at him.

"How did you know her?" Fuji looked at him suspiciously.

"America." Ryoma shrugged as Fuji's eyes flew open.

"So you know?"

"I don't know she's related to bucchou, that's all. I met her at the tennis court, that's all I can tell." Ryoma said as he walked into the clubhouse.

* * *

On the way back to their home, Tezuka looked at the smiling and almost skipping Kumiko.

"You know Echizen, Kumiko?" Kumiko then stopped on her tracks and looked down on the ground, playing with the pebbles.

"Well… I met him at America, I saw him playing tennis and asked him to play with me. We've been friends ever since, and he's my getaway from them… since he was pretty popular there they didn't question me so I can play tennis freely with him. We lost contact when he went back to Japan and I haven't heard of him ever since." Kumiko said trying to keep her sadness in check. Tezuka then sighed and ruffled her hair.

"Let's just go home, father, mother and grandfather are waiting for us." Kumiko then looked up at him and give him a big sweet smile as Tezuka replied it with his own.

"Yeah, home." Kumiko said as they linked hands once more and walked towards their home.

* * *

Today, Kumiko is lying freely on the tatami floor, soaking in the sun and smeeling the fresh air while hearing the water pouring into the pond.

"Now, what are you doing, young lady?" Her grandfather laughed at Kumiko's tangled body on the floor.

"I'm relaxing, ojii-chan." Kumiko said as she stood up and stretched her stiffening body.

"I'm seeing a tangled mess on the floor if that is what you called relaxing." Kunikazu said. Then Kumiko pouted and Kunikazu laughed.

"But I never get to lay down on the floor anymore, and I miss the tatami." Kumiko said as she yawned. Then Kumiko heard the front door opening and dashed away from her grandfather's sight.

"I guess Kunimitsu's back?" Ayana said as she peeked from the kitchen when she heard Kumiko screamed 'Onii-chan!'

"Yes."

* * *

"You're home!" Kumiko said as she snuggled into Tezuka's embrace.

"You're getting more childish."

"Can I? I miss this feeling so much!" Kumiko said as she looked up at Tezuka with big eyes.

"We have guests."

"Hello Kumiko, still like your hugs I see." Kumiko then squealed and glomped Fuji.

"Nii nii! You're here!" Fuji chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"Look who I brought here." Fuji said and Kumiko saw a frowning boy behind him.

"O~h, Yuu nii nii!" Kumiko said as she jumped at the now shocked boy. Kumiko dangle from Yuuta's neck as Yuuta finally grabbed her hips and put her feet on the floor.

"Kumiko! What?! When?! How?!" Yuuta said shocked as he kept his hands on Kumiko's forearm. Fuji then patted Yuuta's shoulder.

"I'll tell you later, Yuuta. Kumiko's back, that's what matters." Yuuta then looked Kumiko up and down over and over and hugged her again. Fuji then chuckled at the glaring Tezuka and tapped him on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, he's not going to do anything to her." Fuji said.

"I missed you, Yuu nii nii~!" Kumiko said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"You made me so worried, I thought I never going to see you again! You really here! You're home!" Yuuta said excitedly as he spins around laughing.

"I'm getting dizzy!" Kumiko squealed. The Seigaku regulars smiled looking at the spinning Yuuta and Kumiko. Fuji looked at the corner of his eyes and smiled when he saw Tezuka smiled a little.

"Yuuta missed her so much, you know." Tezuka nodded.

"Hey, let's have some sweets, Kumiko!" Yuuta said when he placed Kumiko back on the ground, eyes twinkling, the frown long gone.

"Sweets?" Yuuta nodded and Kumiko looked at Fuji and Tezuka with big twinkling eyes, begging.

"Please? Pretty please? Can I go with Yuu nii nii?" Kumiko begged. Tezuka sighed as Fuji chuckled.

"Of course, it's fine with me as long as Yuuta take an eye on you." Fuji then looked at Tezuka.

"… Fine. Don't be home too late."

"I'll go get my bag!" Kumiko said as she dashed out inside the house and dashed outside again.

"Let's go!" Yuuta said surprisingly enthusiastic and took Kumiko's hand. Fuji noticed Tezuka's shoulder sagged a bit and placed his hand on his captain's shoulder, giving him a pity smile.

* * *

"Where are we going, nii nii?" Kumiko said, remembering the fun they had together when Fuji would always leave her alone with Yuuta.

"This café I always go to, the sweets are great and you should try the ice cream, cake, and…"

"I don't want to eat too much sweets or I can't sing or play tennis well… and I'll get fat." Yuuta laughed at Kumiko's comments.

"Well, you got a point. And if you get a bit fat, I think you'll look chubby and cute. And we'll share the cake."

"I'm not chubby." Kumiko said as she pouted.

"Whatever you say, Kumiko."

"I really miss walking with you nii nii. You're my favourite after onii-chan." Kumiko said as Yuuta stopped walking to looked at her with shocked eyes.

"Oh really?"

"Yep, you're so fun to play with." Kumiko said with a big smile as Yuuta grinned and ruffled her hair.

"Come on then, let's go!"

* * *

Eiji, Echizen and Momoshiro were walking at the square when Echizen spotted something.

"What's wrong Ochibi?"

"Isn't that Fuji-senpai's younger brother?" Eiji looked at where Echizen were looking at his jaw dropped

"That's him! But why is he with Kumiko-chan?" Eiji said as Momo nodded.

"Maybe they knew each other." Echizen replied simply, deciding not to pry. He knows how Kumiko is when she doesn't want to be disturbed.

"Hey, let's watch them!" Echizen winced when his senior popped that idea. Stalking a former diva might not be good, Kumiko's senses were quite sharp, especially when she use it for tennis. Echizen tried to back away but was dragged by Momo.

"Senpai, let me go. I don't want to do this!"

"But aren't you curious to know what they're doing?"

"I better die…" Eiji and Momo felt something bad going to happen, Echizen's not the boy who likes to joke, but they shook the feelings away and dragged him into their mischief.

* * *

"This café is nice, nii nii." Kumiko said happily while putting a piece of cake in her mouth.

"Right? I told you." Yuuta said as he sipped his tea.

"But don't you think that's too many sugar in the tea? 5 spoons?"

"Usual."

"Oh…"

"So, how're you faring?" Yuuta said suddenly serious. Kumiko then placed her fork back down and smiled sadly.

"Since I got back it's been so fun, I had so much fun at home and I missed everyone. It was so cold in America and it's warm here. I missed onii-chan the most, and I was terrified when I almost forgot everyone's face."

"You did?"

"Uncle hit me on the head once and I bled a little…"

"To tell you the truth, I've heard the news about your 'captors' accident and I was glad it happened."

"I know, me too…" Yuuta then smiled and patted Kumiko's head.

"If you ever wanted to talk, you can talk to me."

"Okay, nii nii." Kumiko said as she took another bite of the cake.

* * *

"See? They knew each other." Echizen said. "Now let me leave."

"Not yet. Do you see how comfortable they are with each other?" Eiji asked.

"If Kumiko-san know Fuji-senpai since she was little, she must know his little brother."

"But still…" Echizen then started to disappear when he saw the message in his phone. Eiji and Momo saw Kumiko turned to them and smiled while raising an eyebrow.

"Hello, senpai. What are you doing here?" Kumiko said as Yuuta trying to hold his laugh together.

"W-We're just trying to get ice cream, right Echizen?" Momo turned to face Echizen but saw nothing.

"Echizen is a smart one and I can tell how onii-chan sometimes couldn't hold himself with all of you."

"H-Huh?"

"My ears and eyes are quite sharp, being trained and born with them. And Echizen-kun supposed to know this, but I guess you forced him. See this?" Kumiko as she showed them her phone. Then Eiji and Momo stepped back and ran away. Finally Yuuta couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed out loud.

"You definitely gain a talent while you're away, Kumiko!" Yuuta laughed, holding his aching stomach. Kumiko turned back at him and smiled.

"I love doing this when they think I don't know." Kumiko then showed her message to Yuuta and he laughed harder.

'_Echizen-kun~, can you leave for a moment? I need to have a 'talk' with both the_ _senpai. And perhaps you could buy me some salt to give to the demons?'

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_**Read and Review!!**_

**This is the continuation to Caged Bird, sorry if it's not that interesting**

**-Angelsangel xD  
**


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